Former Trump VP Mike Pence hemmed and and hawed to ABC's Jonathan Karl until he admitted he still may support Trump in the end, even after the former president fueled his supporters to threaten him and his family's safety.
THIS WEEK host Jonathan Karl played audio of Trump blaming Pence for his supporters wanting to hang in because he refused to side with Trump's BIG Lie theory and overturn the 2020 election.
KARL: Because you heard those chants, that was terrible. I mean, you know, those --
TRUMP: He could have -- well, the people were very angry.
KARL: They were saying hang Mike Pence.
TRUMP: Because it’s -- it's common sense, Jon, it's common sense that you're supposed to protect -- how can you -- if you know a vote is fraudulent, right?
KARL: Yeah.
TRUMP: How can you pass on a fraudulent vote to Congress?
"I mean, he’s effectively justifying, or excusing, the actions of people who were calling for you to be hanged!" Karl said.
"There is no excuse for the violence that took place at the Capitol on January 6th, and I’ll never diminish it as long as I live, but, look, the president’s wrong," Pence said and then pretended he thought Trump would see the light in time. When has that ever occurred? Ever?
"To saying, justifying those murderous chants, does that effectively disqualify him from being commander-in-chief again?" Karl asked.
Pence obfuscated so Karl asked again, "What’s your judgment about it?”
Instead of answering the question, Pence said he was angry with Trump that day and ranted with nonsense.
"I just haven’t had time for it. To me, there’s just too many issues that we’re facing in this country today under the failed policies of this administration that — I don’t have a lot of time for looking backwards," he said.
"Could you ever support him again for president?"
"I think that’s yet to be seen, Jon," Pence replied.
What does it take for a politician like Pence to finally and publicly come to grips with what Trump did on January 6? The hurt caused to his family, the US Capitol, the murdered police officers?
